Tours and Tears
by ThisIsGospelz
Summary: Percy is in a band and is on tour while Annabeth is stuck at home. This is her reaction to finding out he wrote a song about leaving her.


**A/N - Obviously I don't own PJO or any characters because, you know, I'm not male nor Rick. The song Miles Away is by Memphis May Fire**

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Two weeks he's been gone and there's still about 4 more to go. Sometimes being married to someone in a successful band that tours the world is pretty crap. But in all fairness I knew what I was in for.

Me and Percy had been dating since senior year in high school and he was in his band, Makeshift Chemistry, then and were already getting quite a bit of attention. We got married earlier this year when we were both 20, that bass playing idiot turned 21 last month. I used to love the end of the year but when they started getting recognised and touring that changed, see, towards the end of the year means touring season and touring season means no Percy and a very unhappy Annabeth.

They were taking time out from their schedule of touring the country to play a festival, today was one of the biggest festivals Makeshift Chemistry have ever played, true they were only just really getting popular in the music industry but festivals guarantee a big crowd and an even bigger fan base. The festival was streaming some of the stages and luckily enough Percys was one of them.

He called me earlier in pure excitement telling me to watch it because they're playing a new set list than the one they've been playing for the rest of their tour; Of course I immediately agreed and as soon as we hung up I rang Thalia, Piper and Hazel to come round to watch it with me. The media called us the girls behind Makeshift Chemistry, I scoffed at that, they make us sound like groupies and not the significant others.

So at 2.00 PM exactly we were sat around my laptop watching the boys woo the crowd and send them crazy. As gooey as it sounds I couldn't really look anywhere else but Percy, hey I hadn't seen him in two whole weeks! I took notice in what he was wearing, nothing special just his usual concert attire, black skinny jeans, a loose tank top that showed his subtly muscled arms and his black Vans topped off with his standard burgundy beanie. I found myself smiling when he smiled (zoning in on his lip piercing as I always tend to) when the crowd sang along or when Leo held the mic for them to sing the lyrics for him.

I was shocked when I heard Leo sing for the first time back in High School, I certainly wasn't expecting him to have such a good voice. They were about half way through their set when Leo motioned for the crowd to quiet down so he could speak. "Okay so we've never played this song before but we thought we'd try it out on you beautiful people" The crowd screamed in response and Leo looked to Percy and they laughed together. "Okay, this sap over here wrote this, the God damn whole thing" Leo said standing beside Percy, putting his arm around his shoulder before kissing his cheek and then going to stand back infront of his mic stand "This is called Miles Away" Loads of the fans who have heard their album screamed in response.

I turned to Thalia when the slow guitar started, she smiled at me knowingly. I focused back on the small screen, pushing my hands into Percys black hoodie and watched as Leo closed his eyes and started swaying holding the mic with both hands "_I pack my bags and say goodbye to my wife for what seems like the millionth time. They said it gets easier, but they lied. She looks at me and says, "Really, baby, I will be just fine,_"" I smiled to myself remembering when I said that to him, focusing back on Percy who was playing in concentration, staring at his guitar and not looking as happy as he did before.

Not wanting to miss any part of the already beautiful song I tuned back in. "_Really, I'm so thankful for the people I meet, the places I've been and the things I've seen, but when she's not here it doesn't feel like I'm living my dream. I know they say that no one is perfect, but I swear she's perfect for me and that makes it so much harder to leave." _I took a deep breath pushing back tears as the song went into the first chorus.

"_How am I supposed to be everything they expect me to be when I feel so alone, 'cause I left my heart at home? She needs me, but I know they need me too. So, God, give me the strength to do what you created me to do._" The camera moved so it focused on Frank on drums who was beating out a slow, consistent rhythm, then to Jason who was on lead guitar who stood next to Nico who was on rhythm guitar. Each member looking sombre and deep in thought. It went back to Leo who was bent over as he belted out the lyrics to the chorus.

The camera then panned to Percy as he started singing a verse on his own. "_If_ _you miss me_, _I'm_ _just a phone call away_. _Please be strong, be strong for me_." He looked down at his guitar as he continued singing before looking back up and straight into the camera "_I need you to show me how_ _to change the inside of me._ _For my heart, for their sake. Be strong, be strong for_ _me_" I didn't realise I was crying until Piper put her arm around my shoulder and gave it a quick squeeze before loosening her grip.

"_How am I supposed to be everything they expect me to be when I feel so alone, so alone_?" I focused back on the song when Leo started singing again. I dropped my head on Pipers shoulder and wiped the tears slowly coming down my face silently wishing it was Percys shoulder I was resting on. That feeling intensified as I could hear Percy join in with Leo

"_How am I supposed to be everything they expect me to be when I feel so alone, 'cause I left my heart at home? She needs me, but I know they need me too. So, God, give me the strength to do what you created me to do._" The song finished and the crowd went wild and I couldn't help but smile and pull out my phone ready to call Percy. I waited knowing he's on stage but eventually deciding he'll answer anyway, he likes showing off.

Leo registered what was happening after Percy pulled out his phone and quietened the crowd with a gesture to lower the volume and a "Shh it's Percys wife, she's never heard that song before." They listened to him and it turned into a quiet murmur.

"Hey." I whispered watching him on screen as he smiled making me smile too.

"I'm assuming you're watching right?" I laughed and assured him I was. "Damn it you can see me and I can't see you, no fair!" I laughed again. The girls around me were making their presence known by huffing and trying to shift nearer.

"Some people want to say hi to you." I said before all three of them screamed "Hey Percy!" down the phone making him laugh and wave at the camera with one hand.

"Yeah well I have some people that want to say hi to you too." He pulled the phone away from his ear and walked forwards a bit to stand infront of his mic and told the crowd to say hi. He put the phone in the air to which the crowd responded with a massive "Hey Annabeth!" He smiled a huge Percy smile as he put the phone back to his ear as he heard I was laughing.

"Kay I'm going, I just wanted to say that, that song was beautiful and I love it, ring me later, you're killing it Seaweed Brain you guys sound awesome." He smiled and bopped his head.

"Of course we do!" He laughed with me "I love you" My smile fell when I remembered he wasn't coming home again tonight.

"Yeah I love you too." He smiled and asked the crowd to say bye which they did wholeheartedly, loads of them waving at the camera as it panned around. We said all shouted a collective bye and I hung up.

I sighed heavily and locked my phone throwing it on the coffee table, continuing to watch the live stream. There were only a few songs left but I hardly paid attention to them as I cried silently against Piper again, watching as Percy barely smiled anymore, just playing the necessary chords and not really enjoying it as much as before. I tried to think positive, 3 weeks and 6 days left till he comes home.

Oh God it's going to be a long 3 weeks moping at other peoples apartments so I'm not alone and wearing his clothes for a bit of normalcy.


End file.
